MOBILE, Alabama -- The Alabama State Port Authority commenced the 101st Annual American Association of Port Authorities Convention this morning with an opening address by Gov. Robert Bentley.

Nearly 600 attendees filled the Mobile Convention Center, which will house the convention until Friday.

"The Alabama State Port Authority is a leader in economic development and job creation,
investing more than $700 million in port improvement programs and
providing shippers with an array of new facilities, technology and
innovation," he said at the opening ceremonies. "The Port of Mobile
proudly distinguishes our state and we are committed to building on that
success."

Jimmy Lyons, director of the Alabama State Port Authority, said the convention means a lot to the city and will cover a wide range of economic and trade topics that can be applied to the community.

"This is a port city and people here don't need to be reminded," he said. "We were built from the port out. Seaports
deliver prosperity, to our states and our regions and our country as a
whole"

The conference is estimated to cost the authority about $1 million, with expenses made up mostly through registration fees and advertising. Port Authority spokesperson Judy Adams said the organization has raised $410,000 alone through sponsorships.

The port has been on a tight schedule to organize the convention since March 2011, when AAPA officials announced that Mobile would be the 2012 location. Authority officials had planned to apply to host the 2015 meeting, but was given the opportunity to host this year when the intended host city, Detroit, had to back out.

The association is composed of port authorities from the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The convention will put an international spotlight on investments made at the Port of Mobile, such as the Mobile Container Terminal and the Pinto Island Terminal that ThyssenKrupp AG uses to transfer steel slabs from ocean-going vessels to river-bound barges.

It will also be a chance to showcase the city of Mobile to an international audience, with events planned throughout the city. The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center in downtown Mobile will host a reception tonight, while the Battle House Hotel will host a reception and gala Thursday. The port also has scheduled a golf tournament at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail course at Magnolia Grove for Friday.